Radiator fin structure



March 1955 c. s. SIMPELAAR RADIATOR FIN STRUCTURE Filed April 24, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l cllyclejjim el aar March 1955 c. s. SIMPELAAR RADIATOR FIN STRUCTURE Filed April 24, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jivenr/ C/ci ejj ezaar' United States Patent RADIATOR FIN STRUCTURE Clyde S. Simpelaar, Racine, Wis., assignor to Modine Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 24, 1946, Serial No. 664,542 12 Claims. (Cl. 257-263) This invention relates to radiator fin structures and one of its objects is to provide fin elements of channel shaped nested and bonded together and bonded to the liquid conducting tubes of radiator cores.

Another object is to provide channel shaped fin elements with fin strips that extend crosswise of the fin element and are disposed within the channel thereof.

Another object is to emboss the cross walls of the fin elements whereby to create turbulence of air passing through the channels of the fin elements.

In certain cases the fin elements are constructed of very light gauge sheet metal and one of the objects of this invention is to provide ledges or seats of sufficient width to effectively form supports for the next adjacent fin element above.

Another object is to provide nested and bonded together fin elements in the liquid conducting tubes of the radiator core.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, this invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter fully set forth and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings accompanying this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly ,in front elevation and partly in vertical section of a radiator embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail fragmental horizontal section upon an enlarged scale taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a fragment of the radiator core;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section of a radiator partly broken away and showing a modified form of the invention;

.Fig. 5 ,is a detail fragmental horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a fin element of slightly modified form;

Fig. 7 is a fragmental longitudinal-section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6

Fig. 8is anend elevation of another modified form of .fin element;

Fig. 9 is a detail fragmental side elevation of the ,fin element illustrated in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an end elevation of a further modified form of fin element;

.Fig. 11 is a detail fragmental longitudinal section taken on the 'line 1111 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is still another modified form of fin element;

Fig. 13 is a detail fragmental side elevation of the fin element seen in Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a horizontal section through a third modified form of radiator construction.

Referring to said drawings and first to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the reference character 15 designates the core of a radiator of the automotive type, 16 designates the upper tank and 17 the lower tankof the radiator, between which tanks extend tubes 18 to convey water from one tank to the other. An inlet pipe 20 leads to the lower tank 16 and an outlet pipe 19 leads from the upper tank 17.

Between the tubes are stacks of nested and bonded together channel shaped fin elements 2-1 which are also bonded to the tubes 18. The fin elements are each formed with a cross wall 22 and side walls 23 which are formed .with outwardly offset edge portions 24 which provide ICC ledges or seats 26 against which the next adjacent fin element seats.

The fin elements provide air passages 27 between the tubes through which the air flows and absorbs heat from the fin elements.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, which illustrate a modification of the radiator core, in the tubes 18 are nested and bonded together fin elements 22 which are also bonded to the walls of the tubes. These fin elements 22 provide separate passageways through each tube and absorb heat from the fiuid flowing through the tubes and conduct it to the side walls of the tubes which in turn conduct the heat to the channel shaped nested and bonded together fin elements 21 of the radiator core. In other respects the construction of the radiator may be substantially the same as that of the radiator shown in Fig. .1, and the fin elements 21 may take the form of modified fin elements hereinafter described.

In the modified form of fin element 21a shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the cross wall 22a is slit at places along its length to provide fin strips 28 and the alternate fin strips are struck up into the channel of the fin element. In this form of fin element the air flowing through the channels not only contacts with the cross walls and side walls, but also with the fin strips which are located in the channels and in the path of the flowing air, thereby more effectively dissipating the heat to the air flowing through the channels. The fin element is provided with the offset edge portions of the side walls to provide ledges foradjacent fin elements to seat upon.

In the modified form of fin element 21b shown in Figs. 8 and 9, pairs of slits are made in the cross wall 22b to leave fin strips which are struck up inwardly and upwardly from the side walls 23b and cross wall 22b of the fin element to form ledges 26b which lie in the same plane as the ledges 260. For certain kinds of fin elements, they are made of very thin sheet metal and inasmuch as the usual ofrset edge portion is only oflset a distance equal to the thickness thereof, the ledge formed at the offset is not of sufficient width to. properly support the adjacent fin element. By striking up the fin strips along the length of the fin elements, as above described, the ledges may be made as wide as necessary to properly support the next adjacent fin element. The fin strip is formed with downwardly depending portions 26d, the lower ends of which are connected by a fin strip 28b which lies in the channel of the fin element.

in the form of fin element 21c seen in Figs. 10 and 11, the cross wall 220 is slit transversely of the fin element to form fin strips 280 which extend crosswise in the channel of the fin strip, some of the fin strips being disposed in inclined planes so as to change the direction of flow of air through the channels.

In the modified form of fin strip 21d shown in Figs. 12 and 13, the cross wall 22d is embossed inwardly as at 28d to .provide a contoured cross wall to cause turbulence in the air passing through the channels.

In the modified form of radiator core illustrated in Fig. 14, tiers of nested and bonded together channel shaped fin elements 21e are arranged in spaced relation to leave passageways therebetween which are closed at the ends by metal strips 29, thus together with the side walls of the nested together fin elements, providing to all intents and purposes tubes for conducting Water through the core. The fin elements 21e may take the form of any of the fin elements heretofore described.

The fin elements are struck up with suitable dies from desirable sheet metal and when nested together along with the tubes and tanks are subjected to the influence of heat for a sufficient length of time to bond all of the parts together.

By utilizing the continuous surfaces formed by the side Walls of the channel shaped fin elements when nested as separating plates between the fluid passages, an extremely light Weight structure per unit of heat transfer is obtained.

Due to the shape of the fin elements, a relatively large area of bond is provided between adjoining fin elements and between fin elements and the spacing members where the latter are used. This provides a fluid passage of extremely high resistance to internal pressure. This feature is of critical importance in all types of heat exchangers where one or more of the fluids is at high pressure.

From the above it is apparent that I have provided various types of channel shaped fin elements which when nested together provide passages for the air to flow through and cool the fluid flowing through the tubes.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same Without departing from the spirit of my invention: hence, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a radiator fin structure, nested and bonded together fin elements, each of said fin elements including a cross wall and side Walls, crosswise extending slits formed in each of the cross walls and side walls, the fin strips between certain slits being struck up inwardly to provide fin strips within the channels and to provide widened shoulders for the next adjacent fin element to bear against.

2. In a radiator fin structure, tiers of nested and bonded together channel shaped fin elements having slit cross and side wall portions with the strips between certain slits disposed in different planes in the channel of the fin elements.

3. In a radiator fin structure, nested and bonded together fin elements, each of said fin elements including a cross wall and side walls, offset side Wall portions to provide ledges and also crosswise extending slits formed in the cross walls and side walls to provide fin strips, the fin strips between certain slits being struck up inwardly at spaced point at said offsets to provide fin strips within the channels and to provide widened shoulders for the next adjacent fin element to seat upon.

4. A channel shaped fin element comprising a transversely slit cross wall forming strip fins arranged in different planes, each fin having both of its ends integrally connected to the fin element, side walls formed with inwardly directed shoulders forming stops to position a next adjacent similar fin element therein, and said side walls also forming a portion of said strip fins.

5. In a fin structure, a channel shaped fin element having slit cross and side wall portions forming strip fins, certain of which are disposed in the channel of the fin element, and the side walls and certain strip fins being slit transversely, and the material between said last named slits being disposed in the channel to provide widened shoulders for a similar next adjacent fin element to bear against.

6. A finned fluid pass for heat transfer applications, comprising a series of channel-shaped fin elements formed from relatively light, thin metal, and having substantially parallel side walls formed with edge portions outwardly offset a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the metal comprising said side walls, said elements being interlocked with the offset edge portions of each element overlapping the side walls of the next adjacent element and bonded thereto to form an integral fluid pass, the heat transfer walls of which are composed of the respective side walls of the individual elements and are substantially double the thickness of the side walls of the elements for substantially the entire length thereof whereby substantially rigid side walls for the fluid pass are formed, each of said heat transfer walls lying substantially in a single plane extending substantially parallel to the plane of the other heat transfer wall, with said walls being connected by a plurality of longitudinally extending fins.

7. A finned fluid pass for heat transfer applications, comprising a series of channel-shaped fin elements having substantially parallel side walls formed with edge portions outwardly offset a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the metal comprising said side walls, the latter being connected by an intermediate wall, said fin elements each being transversely slit at spaced points with portions intermediate said slit being deformed out of the plane of said intermediate wall to form a plurality of relatively narrow strip fins, each having both of its ends integrally connected to the fin element, said elements being interlocked, with the offset edge portions of each fin element overlapping the side walls of the next adjacent element and bonded together to form an integral fluid pass, the heat transfer walls of which are composed of the respective side walls of the individual elements and are substantially double the thickness of the side walls of the elements for substantially the entire length thereof whereby substantially rigid side walls for the fluid pass are formed, each of such heat transfer walls lying substantially in a single plane extending substantially parallel to the plane of the other heat transfer wall, with said walls being connected by a plurality of longitudinally extending series of relatively narrow strip fins.

8. A finned fluid pass for heat transfer applications, comprising a series of channel-shaped fin elements having substantially parallel side walls extending in the same direction and formed with edge portions outwardly olfset a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the metal comprising said side walls, the latter being connected by an intermediate wall, said fin elements each being transversely slit at spaced points with portions intermediate said slit being deformed out of the plane of said intermediate wall to form a plurality of relatively narrow strip fins, each having both of its ends integrally connected to the fin element, said elements being interlocked, with the offset edge portions of each fin element overlapping the side walls of the next adjacent element and bonded together to form an integral fluid pass, the heat transfer Walls of which are composed of the respective side Walls of the individual elements and are substantially double the thickness of the side walls of the elements for substantially the entire length thereof whereby substantially rigid side walls for the fluid pass are formed, each of such heat transfer walls lying substantially in a single plane extending substantially parallel to the plane of the other heat transfer wall, with said walls being connected by a plurality of longitudinally extending series of relatively narrow strip fins, portions of the side walls of the respective fin elements being deformed inwardly to form spaced, inwardly directed shoulders adjacent the offsets in said side walls, said shoulders each extending inwardly a distance greater than the thickness of the material comprising said fin elements.

9. A fin element for heat exchangers including a fin structure with substantially rigid side walls formed by stacked fin elements, each of said fin elements comprising an elongated strip of relatively thin metal longitudinally folded along spaced, parallel lines to form a channel-shaped structure having oppositely disposed, coextensive side walls extending in the same direction in substantially parallel planes, each side wall being offset outwardly intermediate its edges, approximately the thickness of the material employed, to provide longitudinally extending planar edge portions positioned in substantially parallel planes, between which a like, similarly positioned fin element may be inserted so that the final thickness of the side walls of the fin structure is substantially double the thickness of the side walls of the individual elements, the intermediate wall connecting said side walls having a plurality of relatively closely spaced, parallel slits therein extending into a portion of the side walls and also extending from one side wall to the other to form a plurality of individual strip fins, each fin extending from side wall to side wall, certain of said fins being deformed substantially at their junctures with the side walls out of the plane of the other, whereby said side walls are connected by a multiplicity of relatively narrow strip fins.

10. A fin element for heat exchangers comprising an elongated strip of relatively thin metal longitudinally folded along spaced, parallel lines to form a channelshaped structure having oppositely disposed, co-extensive side walls extending in the same direction in substantially parallel planes, each side wall being offset outwardly intermediate its edges, approximately the thickness of the material employed, to provide longitudinally extending planar edge portions positioned in substantially parallel planes, between which a like, similarly positioned fin element may be inserted, the intermediate wall connecting said side walls having a plurality of relatively closely spaced, parallel slits therein extending substantially from one side wall to the other to form a plurality of individual strip fins, each fin extending froin'side wall to side wall,

certain of said fins being deformed substantially at their junctures with the side walls out of the plane of the other fins, whereby said side walls are connected by a multiplicity of relatively narrow strip fins, and means, formed from the side walls at spaced points therealong, extending inwardly from the said otfsets, providing shoulders aligned with said offsets upon which a like fin element may seat to maintain the fins of the latter in spaced relation with the fins of the former.

11. In a fluid pass for heat exchangers, the combination of a plurality of fin elements forming a finned slab, each fin element comprising an elongated strip of relatively thin metal longitudinally folded along spaced, parallel lines to form a channel-shaped structure having oppositely disposed, co-extensive side walls extending in the same direction in substantially parallel planes, each side wall being offset outwardly intermediate its edges, approximately the thickness of the materialemployed, to provide longitudinally extending planar edgeportions positioned in substantially parallel planes, between which a like, similarly positioned fin element may be inserted so that the final thickness of the side walls of the nested fin elements forming the slab is substantially double the thickness of the side walls of the individual fin elements, the intermediate wall connecting said side walls having a plurality of relatively closely spaced, parallel slits therein extending into a portion of the side walls and also extending from one side wall to the other to form a plurality of individual strip fins, each fin extending from side wall to side wall, alternate fins being deformed substantially at their junctures with the side walls out of the plane of the other fins, said fin elements being assembled in interlocked relation, with each succeeding fin element having portions of its side walls intermediate the fins associated therewith and the offsets positioned between the offset portions of the preceding fin element to form a fiat, internally finned slab, said fin elements being bonded into an integral unit, the heat transfer walls of which are composed of the respective side walls of the individual elements, with said walls being connected by a multiplicity of longitudinally extending series of relatively narrow strip fins.

12. In a fluid pass for heat exchangers, the combination of a plurality of fin elements, each comprising an elon--- gated strip of relatively thin metal longitudinally folded along spaced, parallel lines to form a channel-shaped structure having oppositely disposed, co-extensive side walls extending in the same direction in substantially parallel planes, each side wall being offset outwardly intermediate its edges, approximately the thickness of the material employed, to provide longitudinally extending planar edge portions positioned in substantially parallel planes, between which a like, similarly positioned fin element maybe inserted, the intermediate wall connecting said side walls having a plurality of relatively closely spaced, parallel 'slits therein extending substantially from one side wall to the other to form a plurality of individual strip fins, each fin extending from side wall to side wall, alternate fins being deformed substantially at their junctures with the side walls out of the plane of the other fins, means formed from the side walls at spaced points therealong extending outwardly from the said ofisets providing shoulders-aligned with said ofisets, said fin elements being assembled], in interlocked relation, with each succeeding fin element having portions of its side walls intermediate thefins associated therewith and the offsets positioned between the offset portions of the preceding fin element, with the shoulders on the latter engaged with such succeeding element to form an internally finned slab, and means for operatively closing the open ends of the slab thus formed, said fin elements and closure means being bonded into an integral unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,406,256 Bretagne Feb. 14, 1922 1,618,980 Fcdders Mar. 1, 1927 1,679,517 Fcdders Aug. 7, 1928 1,951,958 Young Mar. 20, 1934 2,011,853 Emmons Aug. 20, 1935 2,434,676 Spender Jan. 20, 1948 2,549,466 Hoheisel Apr. 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,980 France Aug. 14, 1922 277,594 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1927 572,469 Great Britain Oct. 10, 1945 362,073 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1931 400,101 France May 21, 1909 445,656 France Sept. 10, 1912 463,426 France Dec. 17, 1913 

